Let’s be exceedingly clear: we’re all happy Luxembourg is back. Ecstatic, as a matter of fact. At a time in which, for a number of well-documented reasons, ESC has been losing entrants, any country making a comeback is to be welcomed with open arms (and wallets). That said…after hearing about the record number of submissions received by the national delegation, all the strenuous and attentive vetting, and multiple rounds of auditions, it’s fair to say we were expecting a bit more from this selection. These aren’t bad songs, nor are they poorly performed – but if you were expecting a peek into the current Luxembourgish musical scene, or an indication as to what may make it distinctive/unique after a 30-year absence…you will not be getting that here.
There are no songs in Luxembourgish, only one in French, and overall these entries more or less all fall under the umbrella of generic/easy-listening/Scandi-tinged pop. Again, not a bad thing – but it seems Luxembourg is choosing the easier route to play the ESC game, and that their return will be celebrated off the stage rather than on top of it. Let’s look at the tracks that stood out!
CHAiLD – Hold On
About 40 seconds into this, a pleasant midtempo pop ditty about a love long gone, I went “this just sounds Swedish to me.” Because it is! The ESC-winning team behind Tattoo, helmed by Thomas G:son, wrote and composed this entry that actually sounds nothing like CHAiLD or the hip hop/urban sound of his 2023 EP. Does it come close to matching the heights of the reigning ESC winner? They’re not even on the same planet. But it is a solid, well-produced and sung ballad with a catchy melody and a relatable message. It is also fairly commercial, which means it will have some fans but will also need extra attention staging-wise to make sure it doesn’t get lost in the mix.
This is the one I would send/vote for. It’s slightly OneRepublic, and I think it could lend itself to be further revisited/revamped should it emerge as the winner, but it creates real, impactful vibes both by way of the vocal and the production, it’s in French, and the lyrics are sufficiently brooding (“I wait for a destiny that no longer awaits me”). This was probably also the only track that, even at 3 minutes, didn’t feel like it wore out its welcome. Naomi is by all accounts very talented, but she was born in 2008, which concerns me for reasons I’ve already discussed re: sending children to ESC. A bit curious how such an adult, dark chanson ended up in the hands of a kid this age, but it works at least in the studio cut.
I actually don’t particularly love this one, but I wanted to include a minimum of three tracks to discuss this contest and between this one and Drowning in the Rain by Krick (which seems like the nearly unanimous fan fave but sounds like a carbon copy of Love You in a Dream by Elsie Bay, down to the exact same team of writers/composers), I slightly prefer this one just based on originality. It won’t win, it shouldn’t win, but it’s catchy and energetic and it gets the job done. Angy and Rafa Ela also complement each other winningly, and even if their voices aren’t particularly different or distinctive, they harmonize well. Won’t be downloading, but not a bad listen.
ESC Etc. 
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